Deer In Headlights
by Cinderfall
Summary: When someone asks you if you're afraid of it, you discard it and merely say 'Like it could even happen to me'. And then it happened, she felt suddenly like a deer in headlights. Bane/OC, Batman/OC - Set in The Dark Knight Rises.
1. Prologue

As my fist make contact with a solid, hard mass my whole body screams that I should run. Run and never turn back if I wanted to stay alive.

The darkness around me was choking, I could not see a thing. I could not, but _he_ could. He was born in it, molded by it, he didn't see the light until he was what he was now, but then again it was blinding. As I continued my rough and obviously pointless assault on the mass right in front of me I wished with all my heart that this just would be over- that I could stop this once and for all! Blinded by the darkness and my overcoming fear I kept doing this until I missed him- and I staggered forward. Panic rose in my throat and I staggered backwards, whimpering until my back hit the hard, concrete wall. The foul smell of the sewers was clearer than ever and I could sworn I heard him breathing. I looked around, franticly scanning the blackness around me wishing I just could fetch a glimpse of him. My senses failed me yet again and I had no clue where I was. The only sound I could hear was the roaring of the waterfall. I didn't want to walk, if I did he would attack me from anywhere- at least the back was now out of the question. But at times like this your mind is not clear, the only instinct you have is either fight or flee. Normally I would flee, now I was pinned to the ground knowing that he was from somewhere looking at me, waiting for the first blow. Slowly I walked forward, eyes franticly scanning the room, breathing heavy and fearful.

And then it happened.

It only took two seconds for me to realize I was now officially a ghost.

He appeared out of nowhere, crashing his fist right into my chest. I simply flew backwards and gasped for air, blindly scrambling up. It was if the distance he created between me and him never existed. Within a second or two he was right in front of me and raised his foot.

"NO!" I cried desperately.

When his foot crashed down I practically felt how my ribs shattered. The agony it brought was enormous, with the little bit of air left I screamed my throat sore.

My instinct told me to get up- so I did. Normally I would have run, I would have cried, I would have begged but now I did everything the opposite.

From behind me a fist hit me with the power of a bus and I was slammed forward with a loud jowl. I tried to scramble up but he grabbed me by my hair and simply lifted me like I was no weight to him.

When he lifted his thigh-bone up and I let out a bloodcurdling scream, realizing with all my heart he was going to break my back! Snapping it into to pieces like I would do with a stick.

I started to fight like there was no tomorrow, thrashing with all my might, screaming my lungs out.

But instead of crashing my small, frail body onto his thigh he just merely threw me forward, like a football player would do with his football. My back hit the concrete wall first and with a horrible and too loud noise my back made a cracking sound. I felt how the last bit of air slipped my throat and I fell down, whimpering and shaking.

Something wet and warm floated around me, I realized right away it was my blood.

Every vein in my body screamed out in agony, my eyes practically screamed in horror. But when he appeared in front of me, towering over me I could see the faint outlines of the man whole Gotham feared.  
The faint silhouette of his mask was visible, his eyes shone like headlight in the darkness. That's how I felt like right now, like a deer in the headlights.

I understood right away that this sight was the last time my living eyes would witness.

It was very ironic. My whole life I've ran, I've let everyone walk over me, use me like a doormat. I was always the silence, shy one. The white spot on a black canvas, not accepting anything, always alone. And now here I lay, broken, in pain, dying.. and I accepted it.

My whole life I had been a coward, a puppet. The puppeteer in this game was death itself. I was on death's doorway, about to be pushed off. My life was about to end, and there was nothing no one could do.

So when death finally came, _I welcomed it._

* * *

How did this happen again?~  
This is the prologue of my first fanfic ever made, and I am pretty proud with it. I came up with the idea well- around 3AM in the morning when I could not sleep. A whole prologue rolled out tangled with a chapter one. Chapter one only in pieces though, so I look forward to actually get going with this story. I was so excited when I first saw the whole fudging movie, so excited I could not stop thinking about it and I am going next Saturday again. Yes 3 So with my mind full of stories it decided to give me an idea at 3AM. _(That's when I am thinking about this shit)_

With all my heart I seriously hope I don't end up writing Bane too OC. _(Going to happen anyway mark my words D:)._

So see me tomorrow or when I feel like writing, _(probably going to happen soon, hehehe), _with Chapter One. Feel free to leave reviews and comments regarding my first fanfic, I can use some tips (:


	2. Chapter One The beginning of the End

The wind was blowing violently and rain drizzled down on Gotham in a rapid, ruthless rhythm. Almost no one was out on the streets, and the silence that had fallen over the dark city was almost touchable. There were a series of strange terrorist attacks throughout the whole city, only one man was responsible for it. Everyone feared for their lives once he stroke down somewhere close to you, and honestly you could not blame them. Although the change it would ever happen to you was very slight the fear was still there, so it was for me.

Swiftly from a abandoned street corner appeared a slender, small person. She wore a black, very tight fitting pair of jeans and a simple, grey hood. Just from under the hood spiked some dull brown hair. She ran over to the other side of an alleyway and looked nervously back over her shoulder, her brown eyes scanning every movement that would appear. She had heard the rumors and was not going to stick around after work, no sir. From herself she was a very shy and skittish person, more than ready to flee rather than fight. Every time someone around her called her a coward, they were actually right.  
When she turned around and ended up into a dead end alley she skirted to an halt and frowned. She walked this road every day when she came back from her useless, and tired some work so why was it closed? She turned around and follow the alley back to end up on the same street as moments before. Her hazel brown eyes scanned the area and with a sigh of relief she noticed that in her hast she took the wrong trail. Happy there was no one around to spot her she continued her journey home, halfway almost tripping over her own feet. She silence that hung in the air was almost choking, she did not like it. Not. One. Bit.

Finally when the flat she lived in came into view she calmed somewhat down, knowing she would be safe home in her own, boring house, with nothing to do. Just when she was about to stick the key into the door inside she heard a enormous blast not too far away. Immediately she spun around and looked wide eyed to a big cloud of smoke rising up not even three blocks away. Fearing the worst she rammed the key into the keyhole and opened the door, dashing inside and running towards the stairs like the devil himself was chasing her. She opened the door to the staircase and bolted up, rising more than four floors before she opened the door to her left and ran for it. The door on the far end was hers, and within no time she opened it nearly tripping over her own feet again inside. When she slammed the door behind her back she sighted with relief, only to be greeted by a brown tabby cat sitting a meter in front of her.

* * *

"Hello to you as well" I growled, still somewhat disturbed by what she just witnessed. The worst things were crossing her mind. She quickly glanced trough the dark apartment, as if she was wondering if someone was inside. Cautiously she turned the light on and sighted. The apartment was small, with on the right a small kitchen, straight forward when you entered the living room and only one door leading to the bathroom and bedroom. She took off her coat and threw it on the nearest chair. When she was about to walk further into the room she noticed a bunch of letters lying at her feet. She cautiously stepped off of them and picked one up. Bills, bills, bills, letter from Aria, bills. Grunting she threw the bills on the table and walked with Aria's letter toward the speckled, cowhide couch. She dropped down on it and opened it, expecting anything but this.

'Dear Heather,

I decided to leave Gotham, I am terribly sorry I can't say it right in your face but things ought to be a little rushed and hectic out here. My apartment is already sold to a newly and happily married couple so don't bother coming by. When you receive this letter I am probably already in Europe, I will send you the data on my new house and such later. Take good care, and give Stick a hug from me. You know he will miss me.

Take care, Aria'

Blankly I stared at the letter, my mind went on black. Aria was in a nutshell my best friend that I met once on the internet when I was about fifteen years old. Together we moved to Gotham to begin a better future, together we once spotted 'The Batman' on the street, together we first ventured the depths of Gotham at night and now she was leaving just like this? This was not possible.

A sad mew somewhere close to my right ear draw my attention. I looked over and saw Stick sitting there, his brown tabby pelt ruffled.

I started to pet him behind the ear and my mood dropped. Aria left Gotham without a word saying to me? That was not right in any way. She would never do this, could it be that she would be..?  
I shook the thought out of my head and growled in frustration. Wild speculations flew through my brain like a group of angry wasps, the most horrible scenario's played itself until I called myself to a halt and looked desperate out of the window. The blast and cloud of smoke from earlier forgotten I looked over the buildings, wondering what I had to do now. I had a nightshift to do later on so I could not let myself fall back, and cry like a child all over again for nothing. I was now all alone, in this big city full of danger. If I only had the money to move away from this city I would do it without second though, but then again were my ideas to go somewhere not very helping. I had nothing to go to, nothing to see except Aria but she was now gone as well. With a frustrated sigh I felt back down in the cough, head in my hands and felt a soft sob escaping my lips. What else could go wrong from this point? Only three hours later I was about to find that out..

I looked at the old clock hanging above refrigerator and sighted. Time for my nightshift, it was only one ó clock in the morning but I had a day of tomorrow so there was no need to worry.  
I had a good education, the experience, but not the job. I was supposed to be a doctor, but I thought halfway my study otherwise and ended up somewhere in the gutter.

As I picked my keys out of the little cabinet I put them in next to the door I gave Stick a loving stroke over his ruffled, brown head. He mew sad, not wanting me to leave and sat stubborn down right in front of the door. I simply opened it and pushed the door against his back. Hissing he walked back towards the kitchen and flicked his tail in disgust. I snorted and closed the door behind me.

* * *

I walked relaxed down towards the nightclub I worked every night, not even thinking of the attack hours ago. I simply forgot about it, Aria took all the space in my brain at this moment. It was too busy in my head that I did not even notice the bright stars, shining peacefully in the sky or the full moon. No, I did not notice anything at all.

When I turned around the corner my heart dropped, and fell three kilometers down. My hazel brown eyes bared a look of pure horror. At the place where my nightclub and three other buildings were suppose to stand now rested a huge gap, totally blown out. People all around the hole were scattered about, babbling nervously about the scene in front of them. The absence of police officers made my heart go cold and I wished I never left the building. A strange, but familiar feeling reached out to me and I turned around to start a dash home as if I was expecting someone to appear out of nowhere and shoot me, just like that.

So I turned around and made a dash for it, the familiar fear creeping up on me. I was a coward, indeed. My whole life I would run away from everything, or freeze in fear. If I had the option, die of fight I would most likely chose death.  
While my feet rapidly crossed the street, for once not using my terrible balance disorder to land face first on the stone. For some reason I took the wrong trail again, probably because of my terrible sense of direction. When I looked over my shoulder I sworn I could have see someone disappearing behind a container. Fear now clearly taking over I did not notice the person standing around the corner. So royally, and with full impact I crashed into him.

Thinking I hid a wall I cried out in surprise and pain and fell awkwardly back on my ass. I grunted and blinked several time, seeing stars. But when my sight returned to normal and I looked up I could see something standing in front of me. Not something .. someone! I realized. Very slowly I looked up, to meet two pair of dangerously, cold blue/grey eyes. All the blood drained out of my face, I thought I was going to pass out. The faint silhouette of his mask was barely visible, his eyes shone like headlight in the darkness, and he looked like he could snap my neck between two fingers.

This was not happening, this could not be happening! I stood face to face with the person whole Gotham feared. _Bane._

* * *

_A/N: _So, CHAPTER ONE IS UP :D  
GAH! It took forever because my body thought it was time for the flue. So My head is pounding, and I feel like throwing my inside out into the toilet. But yeh, it gives me inspiration for some reason. Here it is~

Sorry for the long, and boring intro but I wanted to make everything right. As for Bane in the alley? Heck if I know what he is doing outside x'D  
Read about it in the next chapter, bye guys ;D Stay tuned :3

OUT~


	3. Chapter Two End of Innocence

Aaaand we're back! :D Sorry for the boredness of the last one, but things had to be done. Action is coming up in this one I hope, and we are going to look from another's POTV. Sorry but it HAD TO BE DONE D:  
I just can't function without her in my system, so she is going to pop up. In the end of this chapter, you all will think; 'Well.. it was to be expected' or 'She wasn't dead at all'. *giggle* No she was not, NOPE. Enjoy :D

+ Don't worry, if you haven't seen The Dark Knight Rises, too bad because there are going to be a hell lot of spoilers in here, I am following (somewhat) the storyline with maybe some changes and minor events in it that never pop up in the real movie. Anyhow, too much babbling! Let's get on with it already xD

* * *

**? POV. **

Slowly, the newly formed morning sun creeped up to Gotham City. People who found the courage to go outside slowly opened their doors, and when they were sure no one was coming out to shoot them they slowly started to do whatever they had to do. From a quit rooftop were two green eyes gazing down onto Gotham's street, legs dangling over the edge of the tall building. They followed a 'regular' guy, followed around by some paparazzi. Well, regular? He was 'Bruce Wayne' for crying out loud, the man who didn't show his face for quite some time. Although she had the command to shadow him, she felt her hands itch with impatience to get after him, kidnap him, and be done with it. Maybe then Bane would be somewhat .. well, easier to go along with. Not that he was a nice person in general, no. You actually should be grateful to be alive if you spend so much time with him, and then be able to say 'Well, yeh! I am still alive all right!'.

With a sight she listened to the two men behind her, having a conversation about whether not to follow her orders, or not. For all of it, she would be much rather on her own doing business for Bane, these two men he gave her were for real _useless. _Why did he even hire them? Oh yeah, he didn't. They found him and he offered them a job, how kind.  
With a sour look she looked over her shoulder, her green eyes blazing with anger when they started to raise their voice to a dangerously loud tone.

"Will you two just shut up? I am_ trying_ to do my _job_ here. If you want to be able to say the same, then please shut the fuck up" She snapped, her voice somewhat high pitched like it always was.

The two men looked in her direction as if she had asked them to jump out of a flying airplane. Satisfied with the fact that they held their gun not pointed against her head for once, she turned around again and examined Bruce Wayne. But when she lay her eyes on the last spot she had spotted him she grunted in anger. _He. Was. Gone._ '_and I probably too if I don't come up with some good news..'_ She though, looking seriously worried now. It was that she had given him useful information, even inside plans from 'Bruce Wayne' and other important people. She never came back empty handed, but now .. she was about to.

Somewhat panicked she looked around, hoping to see something that could help her. Nothing came into view. She placed her hand against her forehead and sighted, yet again. _'Well, I'm fucked' _

Slowly she heaved herself up, and when the sun caught the attention of her hair it looked very much like it was on fire. It made the two men look around, awaiting her next step. She took her time thinking about it, whether not to give orders or to think about it for sometime longer. There was no person in Gotham Bane needed more than Bruce Wayne, hell if she know why. A billionaire who after months of lonely isolation suddenly coming out of his mansion, going to parties and live a good life .. that just was not it. Something about this guy made her neck hairs stood on end, giving her a feeling he knows you're watching.

Feeling suddenly very miserable, she turned around again and hissed to the men behind her:

"_Leave." _

It sounded venomous, and very much like a bear waking up from a slumber. She was small, she wasn't strong, but hell would she be at times like this. She could, in theory, break this guys neck if she would creep up onto him and grab his neck in the right position, but then again she had to kill his pal. _'Bane would slaughter me if I would touch his men' _

"Why? We had orders to-" One of the men begun, she curtly interrupted him with a angry hiss.  
"To follow _my _orders, you worthless ass. I don't hesitate to remember Bane about your, ah .. previous life, noh?"

The left one paled, the bigger one took a step back and grunted in disgust.

"Then, we'll leave" He said, eyes narrowed and his gun dangerously pointed at her forehead.

She made sure that the two men were for at least ten minutes away from her before she came into action. She threw her hair in her neck, rubbed her forehead a while and began thinking things out.  
To get it all right .. she had to write a letter to her. Although every vein in her body said not to, but she could not risk a meeting with her. Things could turn out wrong, if not even death from her point.  
Also she had to make sure she would not go looking for her, or do stupid things- so she maybe ought to write something that made clear she was going to give her information later.  
and at last, making sure she would be in no contact with Bane. Even if it was a slight glimpse, it could be enough to die. Everything around him died, or was going to die so it was just a matter of time before she would go as well.

With a frustrated grunt she walked towards the ladder, Bruce Wayne already forgotten and slid down. First she had to fix this problem, for the sake of her best friend. Then she could come up with something that would prevent Bane from beating her up, if it wasn't killing her. Out of her pocked she took a simple, black note and a pencil. She sat down on an old box and began to write.  
The letter ended up with no more then 3 lines of words, but it took her a total time loss of three hours. All around here were small, crumpled notes, not able to make it in time. This one had to do.

With the feeling that she was just about to jump out of an airplane, she put her pen on paper and wrote down the last words of her letter.

'Take care, Aria'

* * *

**Heather POV**

It was dark, too dark.

I have lost track of time, it could be four hours now, maybe just half an hour, maybe one day. All she now know was that she was in a small, very dark room. It took me quite some time to venture in the dark, feeling around what everything was but shying away as soon I would feel any object that wasn't the shape of something completely straight or of a square. Nobody seemed to be with me in the room, I am all alone. I knew that letting my guard down was a stupid thing to do, but the tears started to stream down my face in the end. I could not help it to sob, although I could do it in silence. I've learned over the past years that crying in front of anyone was not good for anyone, so I never did. Horrible scenarios flooded trough my mind, from rape to murder. Whatever was going to happen, it could not be good. Sometimes when I would hear movement outside, I would crawl back to the fares end of my cell, anxious awaiting what was happening next. When nothing happened I remained on the same spot. Panic attacks were now common, I had a lot in the past few hours. Every time I had the idea I would choke in here, that this would be my tomb.

With that though In my mind I swallowed laborious, wishing this would be over. It was childish to wish for something, knowing it would probably never happen. Right now I could not even decide what I wanted more. Dying, or going outside. Soon the option 'Stay here for a little longer' was the best one so far.

Although it was very dark, I could remember the face of my kidnapper. Strangely enough not what happened afterward. It seemed completely blank. I only could remember running into someone, Bane in this case. (I shuddered), and then waking up in this cell. Surely I would not have passed out now, would I?

It was an option I had to consider. I mentally braced myself for whatever was coming, I would fight like a lion when someone would come in here.

When it came, I was frozen in fear. _Again._ I even considered screaming for anyone, but I was too afraid those men would come back and I would have a bigger problem.

I could hear a hell lot of something that would be unlocked, and when the door opened I kept myself from flinching, but I felt suddenly very sick and weak.

It sure was not Bane who stood into the opening of the door, it was a guy with a huge ass weapon in his hands. I was not sure if that was better than Bane himself.

In silence I braced myself for what was coming, wanting to fight, kick and bite but not doing anything.

"Come" The man growled uninterested.

I did not make any move, regretting it right away. When he walked into my cell I jumped up and quickly ran past him. He grabbed my arm and held me in place. Panicking I saw another dude appearing, taking place in front of me. Like this they started walking, me in the middle of the two men.

Yes, I was a coward. For that point no argument here, and I wished right away I just would die. Things would be over and I could be in peace, but no. Life's a bitch, it was never going to happen.

I was too busy thinking of a way out, that I was not paying any attention at all to the environment. What did took my attention was the foul smell, it smelled almost like the sewers under the city. As a child I once almost fell into a hole leading to the sewers, it gave me a good fear of water afterwards and of anything foul.

We entered a somewhat lighter room, I looked around only to see upwards a huge, metal bridge. The water that was splashing down with much violent filled my ears, it reminded me of something.

When I found out we actually were in the sewers, my heart skipped some beats and it felt like the ground under my feet disappeared. Normally I would be afraid of anything, but the real phobia I created was now coming up. Risk of being shot suddenly forgotten I stopped dead in my tracks, not setting any step further.

"Keep walking!" The guy behind me snapped, pushing his gun with some force into my back. I bumped forward somewhat and swallowed. I could see someone up there, well .. it was too big to be a normal person so I knew right away who it was. My mind only though of something else.

My instinct of a deer coming up again I turned around and started running, panic gripping me. To my great relief no one did anything! No gunshots, no attacks.. nothing! Could it be-

Then out of nowhere someone dropped in front of me and knocked me back, reluctantly placing his fist against my sternum, knocking the air out of me and me backwards. I screamed like there was no tomorrow, due to the force and the fright. The force he put behind it was incredible, and it made me flying back like in a movie. Unlike the other persons in the movie I actually took a heavy blow, hitting my back against a pillar.

I saw stars and moaned in pain. When he stood in front of me, eyes flashing yet again a sound not like any other I ever made in my life escaped my mouth.

"Please .. _no!_" I begged, not wanting to die but not wanting to be here in general as well.

"Stop!" Someone shouted, very close to someone I once knew.  
Tears now burning into my eyes of all the emotion I let out, I looked up to the faintly appearance of a small, slender figure now standing on the point where Bane stood just moments ago.

"Heather!?" She called, not sure if she should.

I was too afraid to get my eyes of Bane, but something in me made me do it. I focused my eyes on the bridge and saw her there, hair as res as ever and green eyes filled with uncertainly and terror.

Then everything turned black, again.

* * *

'Creeped'? Is that even a word? D: According to WORD not ._.  
This was another chapter, with .. not much action. SORRY D: I PROMISE IT WILL BE BETTER. Fists into ribs, bite marks into arms, it is all going to show up .. xD Sorry for Bruce Wayne thing, I had NO IDEA how long he was into his mansion, seriously, that minor detail was something I did not remember *giggle* Maybe some Ice coffee does the trick, next chapter. Maybe it does :)  
Oh and yes~ Hehehe, if I have anything wrong in this chapter please tell me! D: (Yes, the day Bruce comes out is actually at night, I know :))  
Fallen back into a depression and upcoming school is not helping me anything with remembering the movie. I don't feel 100% since yesterday evening, so if you get something of that atmosphere back into the story, lol forgive me x) I try to shout it out into something else and keep my mood out of my story ^^ + I am already writing Chapter Three, I just can't stop :D

And yes, there is a little something behind Aria. You will find out (:

Me Out.


	4. Chapter Three Eyes On Fire

Went to The Dark Knight Rises again, yesterday. Had the most wonderful day and it brought me inspiration c:  
More Heather? Sorry, not today xD I am clinging to much to Aria D:  
You will see what will happen later, because there are going to be Batman shipping's, eeyup. I came it with the idea .. about a day ago? I was like: YES! And then she can have Bane. Eeyup. Also, I can shoot myself. Bane's eyes are .. dark .. D: Not grey/blue. Dafuq no D: More like brown :I Well can't change that now. Just stick with this then xD

For those who wonder, Talia is going to make a major appearance not too far ahead, look out for it c:

* * *

_And just in time  
In the right place  
Steadily emerging with grace_

_Curled up against a cold, brick wall sat a small figure down. Her blinding, fire red hair seemed dull and lifeless. Just as her green eyes, whom were closed at the moment. The rain was pouring down in a peaceful pace._

_The woman opened her eyes when she though she heard something, something else then the homeless dude who lived some meters away from her in a cardboard box. _

_With a sign she looked around, expecting anything bad happening in the next two minutes. The 'roof' above her head held some of the rain away, so at least she was dry. _

_When there was no one around that could have created the sound, she continued her assault on her sleepless body and huffed. She was so tired, hungry, weak. She lost everything and now lived on the streets, she regretted it that she once snatched a pretty, eatable burger from the street out of the hands of a homeless woman because she now knew how that would have felt._

_She tucked her knees up and buried her face between her knees, sighting. She felt miserable, and had totally no clue where she would go now. She could leave Gotham, of course she could but where would she go then? To another miserable city where living on the street could be more worse, since she knew the surroundings here better than her own backyard. Oh yes.. she had no backyard anymore._

_When she peeked somewhat when a flock of birds flew up, she could see something moving now.  
Her head snapped up and her eyes scanned the area, no desire to fight in it. Whoever it was, they must be damn quick with it._

_Slowly, from out of the shadows the night held captive, appeared two men, and something else in the middle._

_With a shock she noticed that it was a person, and a damn big one. _

_Thinking every possible, worst case scenario possible she stayed where she was, one eyebrow pulled up. _

'_O no, that is Bane' She thought, keeping her face into a straight poker face, letting somewhat of the disturbing tricks her stomach was doing right now slipping trough. What would he do here, at night in the dark, in company of her? _

"_What do you want from me?" She croaked, voice broken. She swallowed and stared up at him, waiting. _

_Of course she had heard the stories, the legends of 'the sewers', and the legend of the man with the mask. Still it made her flinch a little bit when he stepped into the light._

_He was indeed huge, and she was sure when she stood up and stretched out to her fullest she would maybe reach his sternum with luck. This made her realize that whatever he wanted, he most likely would get it. She was in no position right now to fight him off, actually she was pretty sure no one was. Okay, probably she could dodge him, and then made a insane dash for it but right now her body seemed to protest in every way._

_His mask was what took most of her attention, she just could not stop staring at it. It seemed so .. like an illusion. Was this really happening? She felt the blood withdraw from her face when he stepped another step closer, now fully in the light. Was he here to kill her? _

_She gave that some thought and decided that he was not here to kill her. Simply .. from the stories she had heard about him he just would not wander up to a stranger to kill him, for nothing. Still, his appearance here, could not match any story that has been told._

_When he spoke she felt his voice rumble in her stomach, and she suddenly felt like throwing her last, small, meal out. It didn't sound like anything she had ever heard, it felt so .. unreal. It sounded unreal, it even looked unreal. But he was real all right, and he was standing in front of her._

_"I simply want to offer you a job" He rumbled._

_She blinked, slowly and stared at him in disbelief. _

_"What" She slowly said, eyes wide with disbelief. "I don't have anything to offer to you anymore, anything I could give you is gone.. why me?"_

_Everything she had was gone now, and forgotten. She could only give him some connections, but the people she knew were probably not important to him. Not important enough at least. _

_"Because I think we both know why" He merely stated._

_Slowly she pushed her red hair out of her way and sighted. It was a foolish idea to refuse. He could give her more than she had now, but the thought of it made her veins go ice cold. While a silence fell she could not help but wonder if he would kill her right now, right here if she would refuse his offer. _

_Eventually she pushed herself upward, and straightened herself. She looked first at the men next to Bane and then to Bane._

_"All right, I accept"_

* * *

When I opened my eyes I felt an intense pain around my chest. I grunted softly and found out I was back in my cell again for whatever reason. Slowly I heaved myself up and looked around, only to find the same darkness I did .. how long ago? I could be out for days, since he didn't hit me very soft.

The second my brain registered Bane made the hairs on my arm rise. Panic rose again in my throat, know that if I would not get out of here soon I would meet him again. I knew I was a coward, I also knew I wanted to escape and run. Mainly run and never look back.

I heard a person on the outside cough, I flinched and remained silent, keeping myself from breathing out until I was sure it was gone. My mind started to work on what it seems it's own. I started to think the best ways to escape, to dash and find an exit.. an exit in this hell hole was not very easy to find and if I would get problems with my bad sense of direction I would mostly end up right at the place I would most likely not want to be. With a sight I felt the panic rose higher and higher, I was trapped.. like a mouse in a corner. Cornered by the cat, this was a cat and mouse game and I would be death if I would be brought once more up there ..

Then I remember Aria, and I felt my mood drop right away. I knew something was wrong with the way she wrote that letter, was she all this time here? In the sewers with Gotham's worst nightmare? No, that could not be! I knew Aria, and Aria was not the type of person who would end up here. She wasn't even involved with anyone from the underworld.  
Whenever I remember the look on her face, and the fact no one attacked her at that point there was no denying in it. She was part of all of this, and nothing could be done about it.  
I could not stop wondering if she betrayed me or did not have any choice, would she join Bane on his next assault on me or would she help me out?

I sighted and shove back against the wall, feeling tears burn in the corners of my eyes.

I may never come out of here _alive_.

* * *

Aria sat with her back against a dusty pillar, examining Bane's back. He sad on the floor, crouched and occupied with some laptops. She felt the urge to let all her emotion out at him, ask him desperately why he had taken her, Heather, out of all people.. but something held her back. She was not sure what. In her mind she was already planning an escape plan for Heather, she could not leave her here to die she would never forgive herself if she did. Aria reached in the back pocket of her trousers and fished a pack of cigarettes out.

"So.. what's our next move?" She asked, green eyes fixed on Bane. "Planning anything special?"

Bane shifted for a moment before answering "Yes, tomorrow I intent to visit a certain stock exchange" (**Not sure if I have this one right, forgive my Dutch genes**)

This made Aria look up in surprise. "What? Why's that?"

Before Bane could answer her did a loud bang in the distant took both of their attention. Bane continued with what he was doing but Aria looked a bit nervous.

"The hell?" She said, glancing at Bane who seemed totally calm. She turned her attention to the entrance the sound had come from, slowly she lifted herself up and started to shift the cigarette in between her fingers. Shouts were heard from the entrance, in the far distance. "It could not be .." Aria murmured to herself.

Not very much later appeared a few men who seemed to drag a body to where Bane was sitting. Aria sat motionless, looking to the body. Was it dead? When they dropped it next to Aria her brown seemed to lift somewhat, and she felt suddenly very relieved for no apparent reason. At least Bane could see some progress in here, with him locked up she could stop the ridiculous patrols on the streets to scan for certain officers. It was Commissioner Gordon lying in front of her.

"Why are you here?" Aria tensed and felt the urge to do some steps back. When there was no answer, a mercenary kicked Gordon merciless.

''Answer him!" The mercenary shouted.

"I was asking you" Bane said in reply to the mercenary.

Right at the moment that the mercenary seemed to realize what Bane meant Aria knew right away he was screwed.  
She tossed the cigarette away and shifted somewhat so she could take a interesting look at the scene. _This is going to be good_, she thought with a smirk on her face.

Suddenly everything happened at once, the commissioner hauled himself in the flooding water, shootings were heard and screams in the far distance. Aria sprang up and turned in the direction where they kept Heather. With a strange feeling in her stomach she started to run in their direction not even thinking straight. If anything happened to her she would shoot herself, no matter what.

When she exploded around a corner and noticed some thugs standing with a somewhat startled she froze, green eyes widened.

".. Where did she go?" Aria growled, trying not to show her fear. If she had escaped she could have been shot..

"She just ran when we opened the door, it happened so fast and the gunshots in the distance distracted us" A young guy explained.

Aria already trailed off. "Where did she run to?" She spat, eyes blazing.

They directed to the left. Aria left the somewhat shaken and surprised thugs for what they were, knowing that Bane would clean it up later and started to run in full impulse. She could not have gone far, could she? Gunshots in the distance confirmed her worst nightmare.

* * *

As fast as my legs could carry me I burst ed around a corner only to be greeted with a hell lot of gunshots, bullets flew around my ears like a madman. Not once in my entire life had I done something that bolt like I did then, and it worked! I escaped.. well out of my cell. I had the feeling I was not going to get any further.

"Come on, _darling_" A raspy voice rang in my ears "Come on out, .. you've got nowhere to hide now .."

I felt my heart speeding up, and it was already beating at a ridiculous high rate. I felt the fear coming over me, yet again and I started to think about Bane. What if I ran into him .. he would surely kill me. When his face showed up in my eyes I felt my knees buckle. I kept myself from whimpering and tried to focus on the task. I could peek, with the risk they would see me .. or I could run and risk to be shot, or I could stay here like the coward I was and then wait until they reached me. The last thing seemed very tempting, I could also dash past them probably and risk to be shot anyway but at least I knew where they all were.

When I was about to make a decision I was roughly interrupted by a very clear gunshot and a very familiar voice.

"You idiots! Can't you see she is going that way!" Aria's voice spat.

I tensed and felt all the blood withdraw from my face. Trembling like a leaf I closed my eyes and expected the worse. But the footsteps that I could hear clear now were not heading for my direction, they were heading towards the opposite of the room. When a soft _'thud' _was heard I slowly peeked around the corner only to see Aria heading my way. Not sure whether to be defensive or not I backed away, eyes wide with terror and misunderstanding. Aria stopped dead when she saw me doing that.

".. We have to get you out of here" Aria spoke, voice soft and somewhat broken. I gulped and looked at her with suspicion, unable to find my voice back.

"Heather .. come on.. we know each other for years now.. don't do this to me, I never intended for you to end up here" Her green eyes were clouded with sadness. I never saw her like this before, how could I be sure she was not lying.

"... _.. w-why_" I said with what was left of my voice._  
_

"Come on! Wasn't that letter _a bit _clear after what you saw?" Aria continued, finding herself back again. I said nothing, only stared well aware of the fact that Bane could show up anytime now anywhere. She must have seen my sudden terror flying over my face want she stepped toward me, ignoring my 'No's' and 'Fuck off's'.

"Come on, Heather!" She said a bit louder now but not loud enough for others to hear "I can end up dead if you don't trust me now, I can get you out of here but if you want to stay alive please.. come with me!" She snapped.

There was nothing I could do, I had to trust her. I would have trusted her right away if I hadn't seen her with Bane.  
Aria seemed to realize I was not going to move on my own so she sprang forward and grabbed me by the arm, dragging me towards a different entrance that led upstairs.

"Keep your voice down, Heather" Aria hissed. Not that I was going to talk, my vocal cords seemed to be closed off and throw away so I could never use them again.

We continued trough different halls, upstairs, downstairs, every now and then Aria would stop and looked around if nobody saw her. I did everything she asked, looking a bit blankly in front of me and having the strange feeling that I was going to vomit anytime when we stopped. After what felt like ages I could see light in the distance, Aria suddenly stopped and pushed me forward. I almost fell over my own feet and quickly tried not to fall, mumbling hysterical. I quickly scanned the environment to be sure she hadn't lure me into some kind of trap but the only thing I saw was a metro station.

"Okay, listen to me .. _listen to me .. **Heather!**_" Using my name in such a harsh tone made my head snap up in her direction and I gulped. With some hesitation she reached behind her and pulled out a gun. In reflex I jumped somewhat back, feeling like I could faint now anytime.

"Ssh.. it's okay, Heather. I. Am. Not. Going. To. Shoot. You, okay?" She said, repeating every word like she was talking to a very, simple toddler. I noded slowly and looked with caution at the gun that she handed over to me.

"Here, take it .. you _have _to defend yourself, Heather" Aria said, green eyes filled with concern. When I saw that I slowly reached out to the gun and took it from her. I stared at it and then gulped again.

"Listen I got to head back in and see if Bane is not-"

"WHAT?" I squeaked, with twice much volume as normal. Aria jumped and looked behind her swearing for my sudden outburst.

"What? Did you expect me to come with you?" She said, voice low.

"..."

"You are hopeless, Heather .. you know that?" Aria said, sighting. "Okay, listen to me. Head up and go somewhere, to a hotel for all I care but do not use anything traceable! You hear me!? And do not, I repeat, _DO. NOT. _Go home, okay?" Aria paused for a moment, before she continued with a heavy sight. "_Leave_ Gotham, Gotham as you know it is gone.. people will start dying .. and .." Her voice suddenly dropped what snapped my attention back up, my eyes suddenly also filled with concern.

"I will not be the one to bury you" With that said, Aria turned around and disappeared in to the shadows, just like that.

* * *

Slowly Aria followed the subway tracks under her feet, closing in to the entrance to the sewers. With Heather finally gone she was hoping that Bane would just leave her alone, she was to no threat to them in her opinion. While she entered the sewers and came to the place where she saw Bane for the last time she found out that he was still there. The way he held his vest made Aria shudder, she had seen it before and every time it reminded her how much he could wreak, just with once blow of his massive fist. She walked towards him, closing the distance between them.

"He escaped?" Aria asked.

"Yes, and so did our prisoner, I fear" Bane replied.

Aria tensed and tucked her hands in her pockets, forcing herself to calm down.

"She escaped trough the subway, I-I lost track of her there .. she also took one of my guns"

"Very well"

When the silence that fell continued for longer than a few moments Aria could not stop herself from asking.

"What? We're not going _after _her?"

"Indeed, we have other things to do first"

Aria looked utterly surprised in his direction, noticing he was now looking straight at her. When her eyes met she kept herself from withdrawing and stared right back into his cold, merciless eyes who seemed surprisingly calm this time.

"I heard from some of our contact something about a 'Catwoman'" Aria said breathless.

"Indeed" Bane said, voice dangerously low.

_I'll seek you out,_  
_Flay you alive_  
_One more word and you won't survive_  
_And I'm not scared of your stolen power_  
_See right through you any hour_

* * *

**A/N: Well .. shit xD This took long, I got into a real fight with the quotes here .. every quote of Bane seems on the internet except from this part. Well fuck, I thought. I fell back into a depression, school started again but everything worked out fine. Total times I have erased and redone this chapter? Close to six times, to be precise. If there are still people out there who like my story, please keep on reading I seem to have my old Bane obsession back (:  
**

**Please, leave me be with the Commissioner scene, I looked everywhere on the internet for clues what happened in that particular scene, and my mind failed me once again so I had no idea, only in big lines and not with the exact quotes.. Meh. Don't like this chapter. Meh. And Bruce Wayne is going to show up in the next chapter, less Bane I am afraid (:**


End file.
